Poliscias (Polyscias) belongs to plants from the Araliev family, has a decorative beautiful green mass of leaves. The homeland of the poliscias is considered to be shady and humid forests in Tropical Asia, islands in the Pacific Ocean and Madagascar. The branches of this shrub are smooth, the plant itself is classified as evergreen. Polisias is prized for its wide variety of leaf colors. They are different not only in shape, but also in shades and colors. This plant blooms with inconspicuous flowers, which are collected in panicles-inflorescences.
Caring for the police at home
Location and lighting
Caring for a policeman has its own characteristics. Lighting should be bright and diffused, or there should be a slight partial shade. If the house has a variegated view of the policeman, then he needs brighter lighting and partial shade he will not be comfortable enough. In winter, as in summer, the polisias requires a good level of illumination.
Temperature
In spring and summer, it will be optimal to keep the policeman at a temperature of about 20 degrees. When the air temperature rises, the humidity of the air must also increase. In winter, the police will feel good at temperatures from 17 to 20 degrees. It is important to avoid placing the plant near heating appliances. The police constantly needs fresh air, so it is important to ventilate the room at least once a day. But it is also worth protecting the plant from drafts.
Air humidity
Polisias does not tolerate dry air, therefore, to maintain an optimal moisture level, the plant must be regularly sprayed with settled water at room temperature. For additional moisture evaporation, you can place a container with water next to the plant, and put the pot itself in a tray with wet expanded clay or sand. However, the bottom of the pot should not touch the water. From time to time, the leaves of the polisias can be bathed under a warm shower.
Watering
Polisias is watered sparingly, namely when the topsoil dries up. In winter, watering is reduced; 2-3 days should pass from the moment the top layer dries. Only then can the soil be moistened.
The soil
For the optimal composition of the soil, leafy, sod, peat lands, humus and sand are taken in equal parts.
Top dressing and fertilizers
You need to fertilize the plant during the period of its active growth, namely in spring and summer. The frequency of top dressing is 2 times a month. In the fall and winter, the Poliscias are usually not fed.
Transfer
A young policeman needs an annual transplant, but an adult plant needs to be transplanted once every 2-3 years. A generous layer of drainage is placed on the bottom of the pot. Poliscias can be successfully grown hydroponically.
Reproduction of the polisias
It is rather difficult to propagate the Polisias, since the cuttings take root long enough and difficult. Reproduction is usually carried out in the spring. It is important to understand that the most difficult task will be to achieve the appearance of its own root system from the cutting.
For this, the cut stalk is treated with activated carbon and dried at room temperature. Next, the cutting is placed in a mixture of peat and sand, and covered with glass on top, thus creating greenhouse conditions. Contain cuttings at a temperature of 25 degrees. Periodically, the greenhouse is ventilated, and the ground is moistened. Rooting usually takes place after 30 days.
Diseases and pests
The main enemies-pests of the polisias are scale insects, aphids and mealybugs. With any changes in the environment that are unfavorable for the plant, it immediately sheds its leaves. Also, with dry air, the leaves of the polisias become brown.
Popular types of polisias
Polisias Balfour - an evergreen shrub with large lobed leaves with a white border and white spots around the edges. The leaves are large - about 7 cm in diameter.
Polisias Guilfoil is the opposite of the Polisias Balfour variety. This shrub is also evergreen, but its leaves are with jagged edges, oblong, pinnately complex. The border on the leaves is either white or yellow.
Poliscias shrub - is a fern-like plant, evergreen. The leaves are double- or triple-pinned, and each young shoot has lentils. The shape of the leaves ranges from lanceolate to round. Flowering, like other species, is not particularly beautiful. The flowers are inconspicuous, white, collected in panicle inflorescences.
Poliscias paniculata Is an evergreen shrub of low height. Leaves are light green, dissected, feathery. The length of the leaf is from 15 to 20 cm.
Fern-leaved polisias - a shrub with long pinnately dissected leaves. Refers to evergreens. The length of the leaf varies from 30 to 50 cm; in appearance, this poliscias can be confused with a fern.
Polisias blunt-leaved - this shrub is also evergreen, the leaves are complex, the plates are rounded, three-lobed. Outwardly, the leaves of the dull-leaved poliscias resemble oak.
Helmet Polisias - it is an evergreen shrub, which is characterized by a special structure of the trunk - a thick main trunk resembling a bonsai, and the side branches are thin and erect. The leaves of a young plant are rounded, and of a mature one they consist of three leaves. The border around the edges of the leaves is white.
